Phone: 613-732-3333  | www.integratedhealthcentre.ca  |  570 Nelson Street, Pembroke


Welcome to Winter!
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Employee of the Month!
Sherri O'Shaughnessy
Laser Therapist
Sherri (or Sherrio as she is fondly called to differentiate her from the other 2 Sherri(e)s), "always remains professional, No Matter What!!!  She has also very  calmly and confidently managed a large number of laser therapy visits this last month, with her usual grace and care"
Congratulations Sherrio!
Sherrio placing a Laser Therapy pad on an injured knee
Laser Therapy:
The Power of Light
Sherri O'Shaughnessy
Laser Therapist
Most of us are aware that light, sun light, UV light, effects us.  From seasonal affective disorder treatment, to new born babies with jaundice placed in a special bed that emits light in the blue-green spectrum, and people with psoriasis find relief by increasing their sunlight exposure.  Light therapy has been documented as far back as…. well the Greek Gods.

As many of you may be familiar with Apollo, God of healing and of light.  His single most important responsibility was moving the sun across the sky with his four horse chariot.  Even then the link between light and healing was accepted.  Thought out history light therapy of varies types for varies conditions can be traced.  Moving from Greek Gods to more recent times, in 1903 Nils Finsen was awarded a Nobel Prize for the use of concentrated light to treat diseases, especially lupus vulgarism. And today, Harvard University Medical School is working with NASA to include blue and red spectrum light to balance astronauts with insomnia. As well Dr Norman Doidge has written a second book that highlights the leaps and bounds low level light therapy has made.  His book “The Brain’s Way of Healing” was most recently featured on CBC’s “The Nature of Things” on Oct 27th 2016.

Much like plants use sunlight to make energy in the process of photosynthesis, the human body uses low level light therapy to heal cells more effectively then if left untreated. Laser Therapy does not injure tissue, but stimulates the healing process, accelerating the body’s natural process. By treating the problem that is causes the pain, the pain can then be managed and/or eliminated. Thereby reducing or eliminating the need for pharmaceuticals.

Low level light therapy uses specific wavelengths of light that help the cell to combat injury in a natural and non-invasive way.  The light photons disrupt the process that occurs when a cell is injured, intern expediting the healing process by allowing the cell to take in more oxygen. The increase in oxygen allows the cell to ultimately make energy molecules, ATP, faster and more efficiently. As the ATP is now so efficiently made the cell can now use it just as fast and just as efficiently.  All this ends up with the healing of tissues at an accelerated pace.

With millions of treatments delivered in over 50 countries, this therapy has proven to be an effective, non-invasive, non-toxic treatment that can restore function and range of motion.  The possibilities are endless
Your Guide to Yoga
Mandy Christink
Fitness Associate, Yoga Instructor
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When people find out that I am a yoga instructor one of the most common responses I hear is 'I can't do yoga;  I cant even touch my toes'.  My typical response is that yoga isn't something you do, it is something you are.   In this fast paced society we now live in, the need for yoga is ever increasing.  Why? Because there is something about the practice that actually  works. Often people will instantly feel mentally as well as physically better.  The difference between yoga and most workout routines is that you are focusing on the body as a whole and this is all done through the breath.   Asana poses are just a tiny part of what yoga is.  The sanskrit word can loosely translate to yoke which means to unite the mind and the body (hence the calming effect it can have).  Yoga has been around for 5000 years and can be very spiritual for some,  but in reality yoga is actually a science.  It’s sole purpose is to help you find that state of bliss that so many of us are searching for.  Yoga is not about being able to bend in half,  but rather finding that edge of resistance well still breathing;  it is about balancing your physical body to help maintain proper range of motion.  It is a self journey of discovery to learn that everything you need is already within you, it may just take clearing out some of the cobwebs. 

I am the yoga teacher at Integrated Health Centre so I will give you a little background about me.  I started my yoga practice way back in high school.  It was something that would come in and out of my life for the next twenty years.   Two years ago I decided that I wanted to deepen my practice and decided to take my 200 hour teachers training  at White Pine yoga studio here in Pembroke.  I instantly knew that was just the beginning of my journey.  I am currently working on my 800 hour yoga therapy program based out of New York and then to add a little flavour to my practice, I have completed my teachers training in Buti Yoga (a cross between yoga and African dance).  I am also working on getting my levels in Thai Yoga massage, which has greatly helped with my understanding of anatomy.

I teach three times a week at IHC.  I volunteer and teach a teen class at the Phoenix Centre, and guided the 3RCR military guys for the ironman.  There are two morning classes at 9 am to 10 am and one evening class from 6pm - 7pm here at IHC.  I will  typically start the class with a  guided meditation, and then move into a vinyasa flow class.  However I have been know to throw in some yin movements, as well as a little bit of the buti flavour.  My evening class is called a power class.  This I am sure can sound intimidating to many but really all this is a bit of a quicker pace.  Every practice is yours, so there are always modifications shown, so for those days when your body just isn’t feeling it, you can do as much or as little as you want.  

There are many different types of yoga out there, and sometimes it can be overwhelming.  Here are a few of the most common types :

Hatha Yoga: This is the form that is most people practice; it is a combination of basic poses that are connected to breathing

Vinyasa Flow Yoga: This is a series of poses that flow smoothly from one to the other

Power Yoga: This is a little bit faster paced, higher-intensity, and often this can be used to build muscles and shape the body

Ashtanga Yoga: This is a set series of poses, combined with specific breathing techniques

Bikram Yoga: This is practiced in a room that 350C-400C. It is a series of 26 challenging poses

Hot Yoga: Is also preformed in a heated room, but the difference is it often is closer to a hatha yoga class or a vinyasa flow.

Yin Yoga:   This is a style of yoga that the poses are held for up to 2 to 5 minutes.  It is a slow moving class that focuses on deep stretching to increase your range of motion

Restorative Yoga:   This is a very gentle practice that is used when injuries have occurred or stress.  Poses are held for 2 to 5 minutes and are supported with bolsters and blankets. 

Finding the right practice for you may start with asking yourself this very important question:  What do you want to accomplish?  If your not sure, trying them all can be kind of fun too!!! Hopefully this was helpful and hope to see you at my next class.

Namaste  (which means "the light in me, sees the light in you")   -  Mandy
Client Story
Feeling great after 4 weeks!
 
Recently a gentleman came back to see me for a follow up Health Coach visit saying he was feeling really good and his clothes were fitting more loosely.  He jumped on the scale and for the first  time, we were able to get a measurement which was impossible previously.  He had lost a dramatic 23 pounds through healthy lifestyle changes!
  - Kayla
Cozy, Supportive Slippers for Christmas!
Looking for a great Christmas gift for a special someone?  Here at the Integrated Health Centre we have Vionic slippers for the cold and tired feet!  These slippers are not only soft and cozy, but easy to slip on and off as well.   They offer a built in orthotic footbed which helps to reduce fatigue and pain caused by hard flat surfaces. Great arch support makes it easy to relax at home while not giving up support.  Also, for an added bonus, these slippers have rubber soles which gives the reassurance of grip on smooth surfaces.  Come in and start enjoying a pair today or spoil that special someone you love, for the holidays. 
New!
All natural Bath bombs and Soaps
Kayla Audette
Registered Holistic Nutritionist
Nutrition and Footwear Associate  

Philosophy: “At Purple Urchin, we believe bath and body products can be good for you and low-impact on the planet. This has been fundamental to the way we do business since our earliest days – not just because it sounds good – but because it’s important to us.”

Who: Purple Urchin is a handmade soap company located in Ottawa’s Chinatown

What: Purple Urchin is a vegetarian company. All of their products are cruelty-free and 100% vegetarian (if not vegan). Most are vegan with the exception of a few products, which contain goat’s milk, silk amino acids or beeswax.

Why: Whenever possible, they make sure the ingredients used are harvested ethically, with people, animals, and the environment in mind. They refuse to use palm oil, as its consumption contributes widely to the destruction of forests, which is horrible for the planet and for the forests’ animal inhabitants.

Purple Urchin products don’t just perform exceptionally well, they’re as natural as possible (95%-100%). They create all their own recipes with NO synthetic preservatives or fillers. No drying detergents. Just minimally processed, plant-based ingredients. Their 100% natural products are scented with essential oils and will have '100% natural' written on the label. If it is not indicated that means the product contains fragrance oils and is 95% natural. The reason they use fragrance oils is because there are certain scents that just cannot be created naturally.

Purple Urchin castile soaps and bath bombs are luxurious, biodegradable, and make beautiful, useful gift. Plus, they all smell so amazing! Stop by the store to find your favorite and fall in love with Purple Urchin.

Urchin castile soaps and bath bombs are on sale for the entire month of December. Save 10% off individual items and even more on pre-bundled items! 
Staff Picks 
UltraFlora Intensive Care
by Metagenics
Kayla Audette
Registered Holistic Nutritionist

UltraFlora Intensive Care provides the extensively researched L. plantarum 299v strain (18 billion live organisms) to help relieve intestinal irritation and bowel discomfort, promote the integrity of the GI intestinal barrier, and support a healthy immune response. This advanced formula is designed to address bothersome symptoms of regional bowel irritation that can affect quality of life. Benefitting those with autoimmune diseases, IBS, and is designed to relieve recurring discomforts associated with the small bowel or colon. This product is gluten and dairy free.

 10% off December 1st - 15th                                
Estrofactors by Metagenics
Dr. Lindsay Heubner
Chiropractor, Acupuncture
  • This great product is designed to favourably influence hormone dynamics. 
  • It is most often used to relieve common symptoms related to PMS, such as cramping, irritability, acne and breast tenderness. 
  • This wonderful combination of ingredients is also used to help with polycystic ovarian syndrome, and can even be taken by men, who have estrogen dominance issues. 

      10% off December 16th - 31st
Integrated Health Centre
570 Nelson Street, Pembroke
Along the Ottawa River in East End Pembroke
Phone:  613-732-3333